Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jal el Dib Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jal el Dib

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $856 in Jal el Dib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,329 in Jal el Dib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,802 in Jal el Dib.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 52% more expensive than Jal el Dib, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Jal el Dib 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.99 LBP 983.8K

6.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$40.47 LBP 3.6M

2.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.93 LBP 710.0K

34.17%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.95 LBP 174.6K

80.51%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.97 LBP 87.3K

55.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.86 LBP 76.8K

12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.59 LBP 321.4K

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.03 LBP 450.2K

-11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.73 LBP 154.4K

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

139.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.81 LBP 161.7K

-9.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.38 LBP 212.7K

5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.28 LBP 1.0M

-26.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.56 LBP 855.6K

-12.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.88 LBP 884.6K

8.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

154.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.53 LBP 136.9K

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

91.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.84 LBP 74.9K

147.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.73 LBP 65.0K

143.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

321.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.48 LBP 42.9K

116.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.31 LBP 27.8K

248.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.51 LBP 224.9K

62.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.19 LBP 911.7K

1.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.12 LBP 100.3K

52.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.53 LBP 137.1K

68.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.47 LBP 131.8K

-65.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$51.1 LBP 4.6M

-48.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$5.11 LBP 457.8K

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.29 LBP 115.0K

93.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$20.39 LBP 1.8M

-84.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.76 LBP 68.1K

72.37%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.4K LBP 3.2B

-14.50%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.4K LBP 2.5B

-14.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.9 MX$1,433

$142 LBP 12.7M

-41.52%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.22 MX$384

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

-40.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$37.28 LBP 3.3M

-21.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$19.82 LBP 1.8M

160.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.07 LBP 453.9K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$201 MX$3,473

$200 LBP 17.9M

0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,482 LBP 132.6M

251.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

-48.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$45.01 LBP 4.0M

-11.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$121 LBP 10.9M

-35.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$95.2 LBP 8.5M

-8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.16

2.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Jal el Dib: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $40.00 in Jal el Dib for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $214 per month, with Jal el Dib cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Jal el Dib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jal el Dib is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,284 in Jal el Dib to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Jal el Dib – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $856 in Jal el Dib – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $856 in Jal el Dib versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jal el Dib but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jal el Dib the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jal el Dib is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Jal el Dib are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jal el Dib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.